A new variant of the coronavirus named XEC, is spreading quickly across Europe and beyond. First identified in Germany in June 2023, this variant has since been reported in other countries including the UK, the US and several European and Asian nations.
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The XEC variant was first detected in Germany and has since spread across multiple countries in Europe and North America. It has been reported in more than 13 countries including the UK, the Netherlands and the United States.
XEC is a hybrid or recombinant strain, which means it combines genetic material from two distinct subvariants of the Omicron lineage, KS.1.1 and KP.3.3.
This recombination of genetic material makes the XEC variant more efficient at infecting human cells and spreading between individuals.
Both KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 are sublineages of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the strain responsible for many waves of COVID-19 since late 2021.
XEC shares many similarities with other Omicron variants including its overall symptom profile and transmissibility.
KS.1.1 is part of a category called FLiRT variants. FLiRT stands for specific amino acid changes that happen on the spike protein of the virus, where phenylalanine (F) is replaced by leucine (L) and arginine (R) is replaced by threonine (T). These changes occur in the virus’s spike protein, which allows it to better attach to and enter human cells.
The second contributing subvariant, KP.3.3, belongs to the FLuQE family. FLuQE refers to another mutation involving a switch from glutamine (Q) to glutamic acid (E) in the spike protein. This change improves the virus’s ability to bind to receptors on human cells.
According to health data, XEC has been spreading in countries like Denmark, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.
In Denmark and Germany, XEC accounts for 16-17% of reported cases, while in the UK and the Netherlands, it makes up 11-13% of cases. Other European countries like Slovenia, Poland and Portugal have also reported increasing cases of XEC.
XEC’s Symptoms are Similar to Previous Omicron Variants:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Headaches
- Muscle aches
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
While most individuals recover within a few weeks, some may take longer to feel better, especially if they have underlying health conditions or are immunocompromised.
Experts do not believe that XEC poses a greater risk of severe disease than other variants. However, it is more contagious than earlier Omicron strains due to its efficient binding to human cells.
The increased transmissibility is a concern as it could lead to higher infection rates during colder months when respiratory illnesses typically rise.
One critical piece of good news is that vaccines and booster shots are effective against the XEC variant. Since it belongs to the Omicron lineage, existing vaccines offer protection against the virus in reducing the illness and preventing hospitalization.
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Health experts recommend that people those in high-risk groups, stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.
In countries like the UK, health authorities including the NHS have started offering free booster shots for those at higher risk of severe illness.
Health agencies across Europe and North America have been monitoring the spread of the XEC variant. The UK Health Security Agency has addressed that it is normal for viruses like SARS-CoV-2 to mutate and evolve over time. Monitoring these mutations helps track new variants that could pose additional risks.
Mike Honey, a COVID-19 data analyst has reported strong growth of the XEC variant in countries like Germany, Denmark, the UK and the Netherlands.
He suggested that XEC could become the next dominant strain due to its competitive edge over other subvariants, the DeFLuQE variants (KP.3.1.1) that have been dominant in recent months.
According to Honey’s analysis, the rapid spread of XEC in countries like Denmark (16-17%) and Germany (16-17%) indicates that this variant could continue to gain ground. In the UK and the Netherlands, it accounts for 11-13% of the total reported cases.
More than 500 samples of XEC have been identified across 27 countries including Poland, Ukraine, Norway, Luxembourg, Portugal and China. In Slovenia, more than 10% of COVID-19 cases were found to be XEC infections as early as August 2024.
XEC is derived from Omicron subvariants making it related to the KP.3.1.1 variant also known as “deFLuQE,” which accounts for over 52.7% of COVID-19 cases between September 1 and 14, 2023.
While the deFLuQE variant remains the most common strain, experts believe that XEC is well-positioned to become the dominant strain over time.
Along with the MV.1 variant, which emerged in India and is also spreading globally, XEC may replace other Omicron subvariants as the most strain.
In the UK, the NHS is offering free COVID-19 booster shots to high-risk groups. These groups include:
Adults aged 65 and over.
The primary vaccination campaign for both flu and COVID-19 will commence in October with some individuals receiving their shots earlier.
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